Rating in Brief autumn 2014

Rating in Brief Autumn 2014

Welcome to Rating in Brief - leading the debate on business rates and policy.

The forthcoming general election in May will be the most unpredictable election in decades: the smaller, single-issue parties have the potential to hold sway in a coalition government, and the Scottish referendum result has strengthened the will of English regions to push for greater self-determination through localised tax-raising powers.

The Chancellor has the opportunity, in the upcoming Autumn Statement on 3 December, to build bridges with thousands of small businesses through initiatives such as Small Business Rate Relief measures. However, where will any pre-election giveaways be targeted? And what impact will the move towards greater devolution have on tax raising policy in general?